The Floodlands Expense For My Passage

@Cry

Daylight had broken twice since she last left her confines for nourishment. Emotions fought and tangoed through her mind, making the desolate silence increasingly intolerable. Anger kept her lasting in the presence of misgivings. Had he done as vowed this would not be her present. He was to protect, sustain, and provide without subsidy. Yet mere days prior her gullet was filled by her own means whilst she continued to wait for his return. Why should she sit? Evidently, his companionship was no longer adequate or essential. But anger was only the leading partner of this dance. Stepping on the toes of its more skilled adversary, concern. Preventing it from taking hold of the audience that was Cordelia's conscious. Concern asked why he did not return. Why would he have left her or what was keeping him away? Perhaps their close proximity to his desired destination caused him to wonder ahead, but would he not have retrieved her following his arrival? Was an injury curbing his retrieval? Or had he truly abandoned her, having lost interest? 

Perhaps it was the prospect of having worthy a reason to scold his actions or the proposal of his safe return that had kept her stationary thus far. Regardless of the culprit neither proved strong enough to hold its baring now as she made her way to attain resolution. Having been lead into the Golden Glade from the East she exited the West, not wishing to retrace her steps. The ground was concrete here and maple stood as she passed. Their presence began to dwindle as the ground turned to a soft mush. Leaving the mask of the forest she entered a slightly flooded valley. In the floor lay imprints of varying creatures both prey and predator. She thought to move quick and quiet, citing the time when Dawson educated her of the savages in these lands.

Uncertain of what she was looking for she cantered blindly. Until a fallen log came into the forefront and a blur of white appeared in her peripheral. Crimson, ivory, and gold were all she saw before hastily averting her eyes. An appalled gasp escaped from her muzzle was she was faced with his fate. A sunken heart landed in her stomach. Gently she returned her gaze to look upon her protector. Blood drowned his upper body, concentrated on his jugular. Pine jabbed into what remained of his optics, as natures decomposers had their way. Tears welled in her eyes as she lazily walked to sit at his side.

Until this moment evidence of the factions presence in the Teekon Wilds had been lost. Even present no clear connection could be made. But to assume anything other than the worst would be simple and perchance noxious. She retrieved the memory of her first arrival in the Teekon Wilds. How her destiny would have mirrored his had he not shown. All the while keeping them a stride ahead of her assailants until now where they came to collect and Dawson paid her toll. Her debt still ever existent. Sorrow and guilt played a duet. As she sat praying for his forgiveness beyond the grave.